


marry your best friend, but like literally

by brosura



Category: Final Fantasy XV
Genre: Alternate Universe - Domestic, Alternate Universe - Modern Setting, Alternate Universe where there's no crystal or magic or bad times this is the Good Time Universe, Delicious Dry Aged Cheese, Domestic Fluff, M/M, Shenanigans & Tomfoolery, implied alcohol consumption, nerf guns, read authors note for chapter 2 tags, they're married susan, vague innuendo
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2017-04-18
Updated: 2017-07-06
Packaged: 2018-10-20 11:01:40
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 2
Words: 8,300
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/10661214
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/brosura/pseuds/brosura
Summary: They say a marriage built on friendship is a marriage built to last.





	1. Chapter 1

**Notes for the Chapter:**

>  **me:** man i love promptis as both a platonic  & romantic relationship i think i’m gonna chill n unwind by writing something light & fun highlighting their friendship  
>  **me @ me:** how about that except they’re also married  
>  **me:** shit alright that sounds good
> 
> boys are in their late 20s in this fic and live in a city vaguely similar to insomnia but there’s no magic & noctis isn’t royalty, they’re just chillin & livin their lives, just a young couple in the city
> 
> also a warning for a potentially insensitive divorce joke between the bois @ the end of the 2nd chunk! i recognize that i'm very desensitized personally bc of my big ol' family, so i wanted to warn y'all in case that's not a cool subject for anyone!
> 
> anyway! that's all!! hope you enjoy!

It’s a five minute walk from their apartment to the diner.

Prompto knows it like the back of his hand, so he just lets his feet carry him there and stays focused on keeping warm in the steady chill of the city at nearly three in the morning. He’s wearing two coats but it’s still cold out, and he follows the path the wispy puffs of his breath make in front of him. At the very least, he knows he won’t be enduring the cold alone on the way home.

Noctis had been drinking with his co-workers earlier that night. Prompto had gotten the invite, but he was honestly too tired after two nights of overtime to be cool with dressing up and socializing. Either way, it wasn’t surprising when Prompto got the text, barely legible with Noct’s drunken flair, to meet him for fries and milkshakes. He hadn’t specified where, he hadn’t needed to.

Noctis is a predictable drunk.

And Prompto’s not so tired anymore, always ready for a little late night spontaneity in a diner where everyone simultaneously knew him and didn’t give much of a shit about him. He hadn’t even really changed out of his pajamas, but it doesn’t phase him the least when the bored old night shift waitress - her name’s Denise, but they’ve got a thing going where they’re cool pretending they’re strangers every time he and Noctis haunt this place - gives him a vaguely judgmental once over and a nod in the direction of their usual booth.

Noctis is hunched over the table, looking like he’s genuinely about to fall asleep right here and now. He barely blinks when Prompto settles in the booth across from him, kicking him gently under the table.

“You ok there, buddy?” Prompto says in way of greeting as he pulls off one of the jackets, tossing it across the table for Noctis, who begins to pull it on with a drowsy lack of efficiency. “You been drinking your water?”

“Yup. Drank your water, too,” Noct manages to say in a slow drawl with great effort.

Prompto snorts and calls over the waitress for a refill and to put in their usual order. He knows Noct hasn’t yet, knows Noct has been waiting for him. Noctis is a predictable drunk.

“What happened to the Igster?” he asks, after everything’s been settled with their food. “Thought he was supposed to drive you home.”

“Asked him to drive me here.” Noctis plays with his straw absentmindedly. “Got hungry.”

Prompto makes a noise of vague agreement. “Any reason why you didn’t just get to-go?”

“They half-ass it when it’s to-go.” Noctis wrinkles his nose a little, but doesn’t have the decency to blush when the chef - his name’s Takka - snorts loudly at the comment from the kitchen.

Prompto’s just happy they’re enough of a late night establishment in this diner that he doesn’t feel nervous that anyone’s spat in their food when the waitress slides a plate of fries and a couple of milkshakes in front of them without preamble.

“‘Sides. It tastes better when we’re here, when _you’re_ here.” Noctis frowns and flops his arm over the table. Prompto takes this as his cue to hold his hand.  “Wanted you to be here. Missed you.”

“I saw you this morning, you _baby,”_ Prompto teases.

Noctis, who had been solely focused on drinking his milkshake without having to sit all the way up, perks up at the last part. “Yeah?”

“No I meant it like, like I was calling you _a baby,_ dude. Like an insult,” Prompto explains, or tries to, and just sighs at Noct’s blank, innocent stare back. “It’s cool, babe. Just eat your fries.”

Noctis pouts a little, but uses the hand not holding Prompto’s to drag a couple of fries to his mouth. He plays with the ring on Prompto’s finger absentmindedly. “Not just my fries. Your fries, too. Everything that’s mine is yours.”

Takka snorts from the kitchen. “Y’all want some chili with that cheese?”

* * *

Noctis is used to waking up alone.

He’s a serial over sleeper and Prompto’s only lazy when Noctis is awake to be lazy with him. So it’s a common weekend thing for Noctis to wake with only the cat curled on his chest for company. It’s a bit surprising that he’s up early enough to hear Prompto coming back from his morning run with the dogs, though.

“Prompto!” he calls, voice hoarse with sleep, when he hears the jingle of keys and the skitter of paws on the wood of their hallway.

The cat startles on his chest at the noise and makes a small rumbling meow of protest, but stubbornly curls up tighter when the dogs push the cracked door open and jump on the bed to sniff at Noct’s face.

“Morning, babe,” Prompto greets from the door. He’s flushed and a little breathless from what was a presumably productive run. “Sorry I left ya. Took the kids on a jog.”

 _“Your_ kids,” Noctis grumbles, pinching at Pryna’s cheek. She just pulls away and licks at his hand. “Umbra’s cool, but _this asshole’s_ not my kid anymore.”

“Aww, it’s ok Pryna, I’ll always love you,” Prompto coos and Pryna approaches him, tail wagging lazily. “It’s not your fault you peed on Noct’s shoes.”

Noctis watches Prompto - sweaty and _beautiful_ in the slotted light coming in from the cracked Venetian blinds - make baby-talk at the dogs for a few moments before the warmth in his chest threatens to bubble over into something embarrassing.

“Prompto, come back to bed,” he grumbles, displacing the cat and pulling the blanket over his shoulder so Prompto can’t see him pouting.

“Dude, I stink,” Prompto says.

But he laughs and Noctis feels him settle on top of the covers near his hip anyway. Noctis emerges from the blankets to reach for him.

“Doesn’t matter,” Noctis murmurs, managing to drag Prompto down so he’s bracing himself with a hand on either side of Noctis. The cat makes a rumbling, discontented noise and leaps from the bed. “We have to clean the sheets today anyway.”

“What do you mean ‘we?’ Mr. ‘I-forgot-the-laundry-for-two-whole-days-in-the-washer,’” Prompto grins, but he leans in when Noct wraps his arms around his neck and pulls him down for a kiss with a half-hearted grumble of, _“It was_ one _time, Prompto.”_

It’s a lazy, sloppy kiss and it doesn’t last too long since Prompto’s still supporting himself with just his arms and their positioning is awkward, even if Noctis is able to play with the soft strands of hair on Prompto’s neck this way.  

When they pull away, they both wrinkle their noses.

“Your mouth _stinks,”_ Prompto complains.

“Your _everything_ stinks,” Noctis shoots back.  

“Yeah, but I warned you,” Prompto argues. “You let me get all up in there without a heads-up. What an _asshole_ move, dude. I’m breaking up with you.”

“Prompto, we’re married.”

“I want a divorce.”

“I’m keeping the cat,” Noctis grins. “And Umbra. You can keep the asshole.”

Prompto holds a hand to his chest in mock offense. “How dare you think of separating our kids like that? I’ll see you in court.”

“You’ll hear from my lawyer.”

They blink at each other for a moment, and then Prompto collapses on the bed next to Noctis, laughing. Noctis laughs along with him, reaches over to smooth the hair back from his forehead.

“Did you eat yet?” Noctis says when they’ve both calmed down. He’s still playing with Prompto’s hair.

“Not really, just half a protein bar before my jog.”

“Wanna get pancakes at Takka’s?”

“Sounds good,” Prompto says, with a soft smile. “Don’t think you can bribe your way out of this, though, buddy. I’m still leaving with the kids.”

“Sounds good,” Noctis repeats with a grin.

They kiss one more time before dragging themselves over to Takka’s.

* * *

“We can just call the super.”

Noctis has said the same thing probably twenty times in the last half-hour. He’s crouched down next to Prompto, who’s flat on on his back and half buried under the kitchen sink, surrounded by an array of tools that Noctis didn’t even know they owned.

“You city kids,” Prompto says in an exaggerated grumble. “Can’t even fix a sink on your own. Always phoning it in to your landlords without even giving it the good ol’ college try.”

“As if _you’re_ not a city kid, Prompto.”

“A city kid I may be, but I do know my way around a toolbox and that good old self-repair.” One of Prompto’s hands appears from under the sink. “Can you hand me the thing that looks like a big metal fork without the two things in the middle?”

Noctis rolls his eyes, but does as he’s told. “I know what a _wrench_ is, Prompto.”

“Ok sure, Mr. ‘I-thought-Phillips-was-the-brand.’”

“Why are you still hung up on that?”

“Dude, you were _twenty-five._ You _graduated college._ I just can’t believe you didn’t even _interact_ with a screwdriver until our first apartment.”

Noctis shrugs, even though he knows Prompto can’t see it. “Guess I didn’t have to think that much about fixing stuff on my own. I mean, my dad’s _loaded.”_

“I’m aware,” Prompto says with a little laugh. “Y’know, your dad still hides fat wads of cash in my pockets whenever we eat dinner with him? It’s cute and all, but he knows we both have jobs, right?”

“That’s kind of just a thing he does.” Noctis settles down on the linoleum. “He likes you. He’s always liked you.”

It’s a little more than that. He remembers the look on his dad’s face when he’d told him that Prompto’s parents weren’t in the picture, all the way back in high school. Noctis guesses that his dad’s always considered Prompto a part of the family, in a way, even before Noct first asked Prompto out in college.

But Prompto just hums in vague agreement, clearly more preoccupied with whatever is going on under the sink. The cat wanders over, curious about what’s going on, and he grunts a little when she steps on his stomach in her haste to sit on Noct’s lap.

“Y’know, you can call him _your_ dad, too,” Noctis says, absentmindedly petting the cat. “If that’s not too weird.”

Prompto pauses, or at least that’s what it looks like, since he’s still obscured by the sink cabinet doors. “It’s not that weird, but at the same time it is? I don’t know, I just feel like I’ve known him as Mr. C since we were, what? Fifteen?”

“Yeah, well, it’s just an option. To be honest, I think he’s always considered you part of the family. You should have seen how excited he was when I told him I wanted to propose to you.” Then it’s Noct’s turn to pause at the realization. “Dude, _shit._ I can’t believe I’ve known you for almost half my life.”

“Oh yeah, huh?” Prompto sounds pleasantly surprised. “I feel old. We’re _old.”_

“My dad keeps asking when we’re going to settle into a house in the suburbs.”

“We’re not _that_ old.” They both laugh at that, and settle back into comfortable silence before Prompto slides out from under the sink, wielding the wrench triumphantly. “Told you I could fix it if I just gave it a try.”

“I figured,” Noctis rests his chin on his hand and gives Prompto a suggestive smirk. “Always knew you were good with pipes.”

“Ew, is that supposed to be _flirting?_ ” Prompto wrinkles his nose but he’s still laughing, all sprawled out on the kitchen floor. “You’re really losing your edge with old age if you honestly thought you were being _sexy_ just now.”

Noctis shrugs, crawling over so he’s leaning above Prompto on the kitchen floor. “Thought I’d give it a try. ‘Sides, you look pretty good when you laugh.”

Noctis laughs when _that’s_ what gets Prompto to blush. “Aren’t you kind of old to be blushing like that?”

“Shut up,” Prompto says, but he’s smiling when Noctis leans down to kiss him.

* * *

Prompto looks good in a suit.

He looks good in everything, really, but especially a suit and especially now, in the low lighting of the fancy restaurant that they’re in. He’s got that cute bashful smile on, one hand rubbing at his neck as he lets the waitress gush over the ring on the other one. His eyes are still a little watery from earlier and if Noctis is being honest with himself, so are his.

It’s not everyday you propose to someone you love, after all.

“Yeah, we’ve been dating for about six years,” he hears Prompto say. “But we’ve known each other since high school.”

“High school sweethearts!” The waitress practically squeals. “That’s so cute!”

Prompto laughs sheepishly and rubs at his neck. Before Noctis can cut in to save him, though, another waitress comes by with an elegant looking dessert, squeezing their waitress' hand and whispering something into her ear with a little smile. She takes the plate and sets it on the table in front of them.

“Oh, we didn’t-!” Prompto starts.

“This one’s on the house,” their waitress says, giving the both of them a warm smile and a conspiratorial wink as the other girl leaves. “Not _every_ day someone gets engaged in here. And on my shift, too!”

“Thank you,” Noctis answers for Prompto, reaching over and taking his hand.

The waitress gives them one more warm smile and leaves them be for the rest of the night. They’re sure to tip her just a bit extra when they pay the bill.

“Think we did a convincing job,” Noctis says, arm linked with Prompto’s when they’re out of the restaurant and walking slowly back to their apartment. “You could make a decent actor, I think. In the _very specific_ context of faking a proposal for free dessert.”

“I still don’t see why we can’t just order dessert regularly,” Prompto laughs, but he’s looking at the ring as if it’s for the first time anyway. “I mean, it’s already date night, and you basically tipped that girl the price of it anyway.”

“It’s the _principle,”_ Noctis grumbles. “That stupid thing costs almost twenty bucks on its own, and I doubt waitstaff would have seen much of it.”

“True. Tasted good, though.” Prompto hums thoughtfully, wiggling his fingers to watch the street lights glint off the ring. “I guess I kind of like this, too. It’s kinda romantic, you know, getting proposed to again and again, and all. Watching you stutter and get all red. It reminds me of the first time.”

 _“Gross,”_ Noctis teases, but he leans over to kiss Prompto’s temple. “Honestly, though? I kinda like it, too. You _always cry_ even though you’re expecting it. It’s cute, and I guess it just- just feels like the first time _every_ time.”

 _“Gross,”_ Prompto repeats, nose crinkling even as he’s grinning.

He leans in closer as they walk, though. The translucent puffs of their breaths sometimes run into each other and join to become little clouds before them as they walk through the cold of the city at night.

“Wanna get milkshakes at Takka’s?” Noctis says, breaking the silence. “That dessert went down a funny kind of way.”

Prompto grins, and despite the fact that it’s been almost three years now, Noctis feels just as giddy as he did that night, in a different part of the city, walking hand in hand with his _fiancé_ for the first time.

“I’m down.”

* * *

(BONUS)

The apartment is quiet for all of a minute when Noctis gets home from work. He was expecting Prompto to be there, but Prompto runs a lot, so it’s not that troubling that he’s not around.

He can hear the dogs snuffling under their bedroom door, though, and that’s a little weird, because they usually had free reign over the apartment when either of them stepped out.  

He frowns, then finally notices the nerf gun resting on the kitchen counter, an impulse buy they’d made while shopping for Noct’s godson, Talcott’s birthday present. Which Noctis _definitely didn’t put there when he left for work._

Then he sees the note - _DUCK,_ it reads - and Noctis barely has time to make _an attempt_ before something fast whizzes past his head.

 _“Prompto!”_ he yelps, grabbing the gun and scrambling behind the kitchen counter.

He hears Prompto laugh from somewhere in the living room.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> (1) the waitresses that noctis and prompto _PLAYED_ have been dating for the last 2 years,  
>  (2) the cat has a name but they always call her "the cat"  
> (3) advice from personal experience: never buy nerf guns for your friends/roommates/partners/spouses/anyone that matters to u, u’ll be chilling one moment and getting sniped from across the room in the very next moment it ruins relationships & u’ll never trust anyone ever again
> 
> and special thanks to [my beta reader cara](http://queen-tabris.tumblr.com/) for eatin the cheese 2 make sure it was good for y'all
> 
> anyway, thanks for the read! hope u enjoyed it and feel free to leave me a comment or give me a [lil yell on tumblr](http://brosura.tumblr.com/)


	2. Chapter 2

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> ∠( ᐛ 」∠)＿ hello it is me with an unexpected second chapter ∠( ᐛ 」∠)＿
> 
> ft. light angst, Angst Lite, failed phone sex (0 phone sex, all failure), sneaky sneaky gladnis, an original dog character, an original cat character, and a short cameo for 2 original adopted child characters (in the bonus portion, if u wanna miss the children) 
> 
> thank you to everyone who enjoyed the first round of shenanigans and a special thanks to [my beta reader cara](http://queen-tabris.tumblr.com/) for sampling the cheese 2 make sure it was good for y'all 2 eat
> 
> tbh i wrote this to heal after episode prompto so, i hope this helps?? 
> 
> anyway, it's time to hHHEEEAALL up! hope you enjoy!!
> 
> ∠( ᐛ 」∠)＿

Prompto’s a bit late to dinner.

Something at work, or whatever. Noct doesn’t really mind. Prompto sent a text ahead of time telling Noctis as much (so he’s not worried) and his father’s here with him at the restaurant (so he’s not uncomfortable).

Well, not at first.

They’d been having light conversation and catching up, when suddenly his father leans over the table, a twinkle in his eye.

“So, when can I expect grandchildren?” he says, and Noctis nearly spits out his drink.

“D-dad!” he chokes. The flush is immediate.

“My, that was dramatic,” his father teases. “Ah, why are you so embarrassed? I’d waited until we were alone to broach the topic, I’ve seen how flustered you get in front of Prompto. And I think I’ve waited long enough to ask. You’re nearly thirty, you know. Your mother and I were blessed with _you_ by this point.”

“I _know,_ dad.” Noctis grimaces. “It’s just, we haven’t talked about it much. And it’s not like- It’s different, ok? From you and mom. We’re gonna be adopting-” Noctis winces as his father brightens. “We _might be_ adopting, so it’s not like, I don’t know? It’s not like we’re on a _deadline_ or anything.”

“You know,” his father says with a smirk and a single raised eyebrow. “Your mother and I didn’t rush to have you before some _deadline_ as you seem to be suggesting.” He pauses, expression going soft. “We had talked about it, and decided we wanted you in our lives, wanted to bring another life into this world to raise and give a good and happy life. And when you came along, we couldn’t have been happier. I know your mother would be so proud to see the young man you’ve become.”

It’s quiet for a bit, a little somber. But they’re long past the point where talking about his mom was some painful and awkward affair.

So when Noctis finally speaks, it’s to say, “Young man? What happened to ‘You’re nearly thirty, Noctis?’”

“You’re always my little boy when it’s convenient for me,” his father coos. Noctis tries not to groan in annoyance. “The same can be said for Prompto, at this point. You know, I think your mother would be quite taken with him. Maybe she’d be more forgiving of you both for making us wait this long for grandchildren.”

“We’re not-,” Noctis stutters, flushing again. “It’s not an _intentional thing,_ dad. I just- We haven’t talked about it yet, ok?”

It’s not exactly that they’re avoiding it, but it’s a strangely sensitive topic for the both of them.

Prompto came from the system, knew what it was like being taken into a family that seemed to not give a shit, and he’d held Noct’s hand so _desperately_ when he’d admitted he was afraid of making a child feel like that - even without meaning to - one somber night of vulnerability.

And Noctis is more or less the same. He’s terrified of failing the people he loves on a fairly regular basis, and he’s lucky to have Prompto to distract him from that persistent fear, to hold him through the nights where it feels like it’s too much.

Adding a _child_ to that, well, it’s definitely a risk.

But it’s not one he’s necessarily averse to taking. He’s seen the way Prompto is with kids, knows that they’re the favorite uncles and godfathers of many coworker’s and friend’s children. He’s seen the wistful, faraway look Prompto gets every now and again. And he doesn’t miss the way Prompto checks on the foster home he’d spent most of his childhood in from time to time.

And despite their individual insecurities, he thinks that the two of them together would be fine, would be _better,_ in the way that they’ve always made each other better people.

So yeah, maybe they’ll have the talk sooner rather than later.

“We’ll… we’ll talk about it,” he finishes with a sigh. He’s thoughtful for a moment before he remembers his dad’s merciless teasing. “God, really? Bringing mom into this? You’re _really_ trying to sell the ‘grandkids’ thing, aren’t you?”

His father laughs, expression going soft. “I was only joking, I never meant to pressure you, Noctis. You know you have my support in all things, you and Prompto both.” Noctis relaxes for a moment, but then the moment’s over when his father _smirks_ again. “I was merely curious, so I thought I’d see for myself.”

Noctis is immediately on the defensive. “See _what_ for yourself?”

“Oh, nothing,” he sing-songs, taking an exaggerated sip of his water. “I have my answer.”

“Dad,” he hisses, unable to stop the feeling of foreboding, even though he knows his father is probably just messing with him. _“What do you mean?”_

“Calm down a bit, son,” is all his father says, voice low. “Prompto is here.”

And sure enough, he is. He comes up to them with a cheerful apology for being late, clearly still anxious and wired from interacting with the snobby hostess at the front. Noct had told him to text him so they could meet up at the door, but Prompto’s always had a tendency to forget to text until it was too late. He greets Noct’s father first with a shaky “Hey, pops,” and a quick kiss on the cheek.

 _That_ was a new thing for them, a long time ago. Back when Prompto had only ever had a concept of what “normal” families were like from the shitty soaps and daytime dramas his caregivers and foster parents would let him watch as a kid, so when they’d started letting him stay with them during holidays in high school, he’d started greeting everyone with quick, nervous cheek kisses since he’d assumed that’s what people did. It was… unorthodox, to say the least, but all parties involved were considerably endeared - or amused, in Gladio’s case - and Noct’s father went ahead and let him set the tradition for everyone.

So it never failed to make something warm and familiar curl in his gut, seeing Prompto so comfortable with the family he’d found for himself, the one he’d _made_ for himself. He’s never been happier to be a part of that.

And maybe he’s still feeling a little sentimental from earlier, but he can’t stop himself from thinking, _I want to start a family with this man._

He tries to stop the thought from making him flush or turn his face to mush, but Prompto seems to catch the sentiment anyway and gives him a smile that’s half-amused, half-nervous after he’s kissed him and taken the seat next to him.

“What is it?” he asks. “I miss something good?”

“Nah,” Noct says, relaxing as Prompto takes his hand over the table. “Nothing much.”

He doesn’t bother looking at his father - he knows that there’s a knowing smirk all up on his face and he doesn’t want him to have the _satisfaction_ of knowing that he’s won - but it doesn’t matter anyway.

He’ll ask Prompto about the kids thing tonight.

They’ll finally talk about it.

* * *

Well, they _would have,_ if their night wasn’t filled with wondering just _how_ Noct’s dad managed to hide _five hundred dollars_ in Prompto’s back pocket.

“How?!” Prompto yells. He’s still terrified that he could have potentially _lost five hundred dollars,_ and it shows in the way he’s clutching at Noct’s hand. “And when?!”

“Beats me,” Noctis sighs, knowing he’ll have to give this talk to his dad again eventually.

He was surprisingly stubborn when it came to spoiling them both. The thought briefly crosses his mind that maybe a grandkid would alleviate some of the attention on _them,_ but it’s gone just as quickly, and he returns to guiding Prompto through putting the money in his wallet.

“Dude,” Prompto grimaces. “What if I get mugged on the way to the bank tomorrow?”

“You’re _not_ gonna get mugged tomorrow.”

“How can you say that?” Prompto squeaks and looks on as Noct puts the wallet into Prompto’s messenger bag. “How can you be _sure?”_

“Because,” Noctis says around a chuckle. “I’m going _with you.”_

“O-oh!” Prompto’s brows quirk, stuck between confusion and pleasant surprise. He tilts his head. “But what about your flight?”

“Bank’s around the corner and opens at seven, and my flight leaves at ten. We both know _you’ll_ be up by seven, so just…” he trails off, suppressing the grimace as he realizes what he’s committing to. But if it’s for Prompto... “Just wake me up. I’ll go with you. Wanna spend time with you before the trip, anyway. We can grab breakfast at Takka’s if we’re early enough.”

“Aw,” Prompto coos, coming up to pinch at Noct’s reddening cheeks. At least he can blame it on the pinching now. “My hero, Noct. I’m _touched,_ you big cheese.”

“Whatever, dude,” Noct swats the hands away from his cheeks but takes one and tugs hard. “Let’s just go to bed already.”

Prompto still laughs and coos over him as they turn in, though. Noctis has to catch him around the middle and pull him into a cuddle to get him to calm down, only a little disgruntled that he’s apparently going to be big spoon tonight.

And just when Noctis thinks they’re settled, Prompto wiggles in his arms until he’s turned all the way over and facing Noct, the whites of his eyes bright in the darkness. Noctis doesn’t get the chance to ask him what’s wrong before a hand comes up and squeezes at his bicep.

“Shit, dude,” Prompto whispers, even though they’re the only ones in this room trying to sleep. “We’re both noodles. We could _still_ get mugged.”

Noctis has half a mind to let him _sleep on the couch,_ but Prompto charms him into cuddling again soon enough.

* * *

The first few days of the business conference are so busy that Noctis almost forgets.

It’s not until he’s sprawled out on the hotel bed in his sweatpants and his phone vibrates, the screen displaying a calendar event labelled only _call me ;)_ ,that he remembers.

This business trip, which totaled up to two weeks, was the longest they’d spent separated from each other since Noctis went out of state for college. Of course, in college they’d been just friends, and even _that_ had been hard.

Add to that the following facts - that they’re now _married,_ that they’re hopelessly touchy and that they’re as sexually active as a couple of lazy almost-thirty-year-olds with long work hours can manage - and they’ve got the perfect recipe for some half-baked phone sex.

Noctis flushes, remembering when they’d sat down to work out the minutia before he’d left. They were both too awkward about it - ridiculous, considering the fact that they’d had _actual sex_ plenty of times, they’d had actual sex literally _the day before_ \- until Prompto finally _had_ it and entered it as an event on Noct’s phone with a flustered, “ _Look, we’ll figure it out when the time comes. Heh, comes.”_

Well, the time had come. Noct winces. _Come._

If he’s going to be honest with himself, he’s pretty tired, maybe even too tired to follow through. But he thinks if Prompto’s in the mood it might make things easier, and it’s honestly a little exciting to think about. Unfortunately, his body interprets that excitement in the wrong way, and he’s anxious and shaky as he makes the call to Prompto.

He almost drops the phone when Prompto answers the phone with a casual, “Heya Noct.”

“H-hey!” Noct stutters, cursing himself. He clears his throat and tries to pitch his voice down to that range that he knows Prompto finds sexy. “Hey, babe.”

“So, what’s up? You finally got some time to yourself?” Prompto says, too casual.

Noctis is a little betrayed that Prompto doesn’t seem as nervous about this as him - they were supposed to _be there_ for each other, in sickness, health and really awkward phone sex - but he tries to shove down the jitters and power through it.

“Yeah,” he says. Then he takes a deep breath and braces himself for the next part. “So, w-what are you wearing?”

“What am I-? Oh, _shit,”_ Prompto curses under his breath. It comes out staticky over the phone, and there’s a bit of audible shuffling afterwards. When he starts again, he sounds sheepish. “U-um, something sexy? Something really hot.”

Noctis thinks that maybe he was wrong, that maybe Prompto’s just as nervous as him for a moment, that maybe they’re just off to a rough start. Then Prompto proves him wrong with a loud crunching noise.

“Are you seriously _eating_ right now?”

 _“What?”_ Prompto whines. _Not_ in the sexy way. “I’m hungry.”

“Prompto,” Noctis sighs. The anxious energy from earlier is gone now, for better or worse. “We were supposed to be having… y’know, _that.”_

“Phone sex,” Prompto says, sounding unimpressed as he crunches away at whatever he’s eating. “We were supposed to be having phone sex. Just say it, dude. You’re twenty eight. We’re _married_ and we were supposed to be having phone sex.”

“We were supposed to be having _phone sex,_ then,” Noctis hisses. He’s still a little nervous, still a little wired. It’s unfair of him to be so frustrated, though, especially since he wasn’t so sure he was up for anything tonight, anyway. So he sighs, then makes sure none of the annoyance from earlier colors his tone when he asks, “You forgot, didn’t you?”

“Yeah,” Prompto admits, sounding apologetic this time. “Sorry, dude. It’s just, I got home late from work, and I had to skip lunch to finish the cover for next week’s issue. I can be ready in like, fifteen minutes if you wanna call back.”

“Nah, it’s cool,” Noctis says, finally relaxing in earnest. He hadn’t realized how tense he was until just now. “Kinda just wanted to hear from you, anyway.”

“Aw,” Prompto teases between crunches. “Miss my beautiful voice?”

“Of course,” Noctis teases back. “Miss your beautiful face, too.”

“Gross, babe,” Prompto laughs, and even though it’s a little garbled through the phone it’s _something_ to hear. Noctis misses him more, somehow.

“Anyway, how was work? Aside from pre-production getting back to you late, _as usual.”_

 _“As usual,”_ Prompto agrees in a disgruntled grumble. “I don’t know, it’s been really hectic lately. They’re - oh! Hold that thought.”

Noctis has a moment to wonder what that could possibly mean before a loud rumble fills the speaker of his phone.

“Prompto get your phone off of the cat,” he laughs. “Leave her alone.”

“Aww, but she likes it.” He barely hears it, muffled and nearly drowned out by the steady rumble of the cat’s purr. “And look who else is here.”

There’s only a moment of reprieve from the cat’s purr before there’s the loud snuffling and crackling of the dogs greeting the phone. Someone’s gotten enthusiastic if the wet sound of a dog licking at the mouthpiece is anything to go by.

“Go away, Asshole,” Noct says, but he’s laughing anyway. “I don’t wanna hear from you.”

The sound stops and Prompto’s back. “How’d you know it was Pryna?”

“Only Pryna is sloppy like that. Umbra doesn’t kiss you so desperately.”

“Umbra doesn’t kiss you _at all,_ is what you mean. Umbra’s a cold boy. _Aren’t you,_ my cold little boy?” Prompto coos, presumably at Umbra. “Dude, I am cuddling with _all the kids at once_ right now. Jealous or what?”

Noctis finds that the smile in Prompto’s voice reaches his own face when he answers, “More jealous that they get to sleep next to you.”

“Oh yeah, you’re shacking up alone tonight, huh?” He sounds sympathetic. “Y’could always ask Iggy and Gladio to spare a spoon. I won’t get jealous.”

“Don’t really want to _get in the way,_ if you know what I mean.”

“Oh ho!” Noctis can hear the smirk in his voice. _“Do_ tell.”

“Of course,” Noctis says. But truthfully, he wants to hear Prompto’s voice for just a bit longer. “First, tell me again. How was your day?”

* * *

Noctis gets home from his trip later than he’d anticipated. _Don’t wait up_ , he’d texted ahead. _Flight delayed._

So he doesn’t expect Prompto to be awake when he rolls his suitcase into their apartment as quietly as he can at three in the morning. The animals most definitely are, though. He curses as the cat meows loudly as it weaves around his feet and leans down to placate her with a few pats. He’s lucky Umbra and Pryna aren’t barkers, but they’re heavy and the clicking of their paws reverberates in the empty apartment as they come to lick at his hands.

Prompto’s not the heaviest sleeper, so Noctis is surprised that he hasn’t moved from under the covers of the bed in the aftermath of the small uproar, but he counts his blessings and tiptoes the best he can to the bathroom to shower for bed. He almost wants to throw himself down on top of the covers, but traveling always makes him feel a distinct kind of dirty and Prompto would be upset if he got that all over their clean sheets. He doesn’t have the patience to dry his hair, though, so he decides easily enough that Prompto will just have to deal with the damp as he crawls into bed.

It’s a little harder for him to decide whether or not he wants to disturb Prompto or let him sleep, but it’s been _two weeks,_ so he lets himself be a little selfish and pulls the sheets back so that he can scoot close enough to cuddle.

What he finds is _beyond_ endearing.

Prompto’s still asleep, face half-squashed against the book he’d been trying to read by the light of his phone. It was clearly a desperate effort to stay awake, and clearly one that’s failed based on the glasses now askew on Prompto’s face. He’s contorted in a strange way, probably to accommodate the cat, a theory that’s confirmed when the cat in question leaps back onto the bed with a contented mewl and curls up there, looking expectantly at Noctis.

The warm fondness kicking about inside him escapes as a quiet laugh, breathy and full of affection.

Prompto snorts awake at the sound and Noctis can’t help but laugh more.

“Don’t get up,” Noctis says softly, leaning down to pull the glasses off Prompto’s confused face.

He kisses between Prompto’s brows in apology as he quickly pulls the book out from under him. Prompto only manages a confused groan as his face falls onto the softness of the pillow.

“Sorry, fell asleep,” he drawls, the aftereffects of sleep slowing each syllable. He’s watching Noctis set his glasses, phone and book down on the bedside table with bleary eyes. “Tried to wait up for you. ‘S not my thing.”

“It’s ok, I know.” Noctis leans down over him, brushing away his bangs to press a kiss there. “Told you not to stay up.”

“Wanted to say ‘welcome back,’” Prompto murmurs. He gives a weak little flourish with his free hand. “Welcome back.”

“Congrats, you said it,” Noctis says, he leans in for a quick kiss that Prompto accepts with a drowsy kind of openness that leaves Noct’s face a little wet in the aftermath. “Now go back to sleep.”

Prompto makes a non-committal noise, but pulls Noctis down behind him with purpose. Noctis gets the message and settles down easily enough as Prompto starts curling back towards the warmth. He’s secretly happy to be big spoon for once, since he’s missed the feeling of Prompto next to him and being big spoon affords Noctis the privileges of clinging closely to him, of burying his nose into the crook of Prompto’s neck to breath in the familiar scent there, a mix of their clean laundry and shared shampoo that somehow smells different when it’s coming from Prompto.

“Clingy,” Prompto murmurs, half-asleep already. He’s leaning back against the gesture, though, chasing that contact.

“Missed you,” Noctis offers in explanation as he gathers Prompto up closer.

“Missed you, too,” is the sleepy reply that comes with a leg being thrown haphazardly over Noct’s.

Ordinarily, Noctis would gently move Prompto’s leg off him, a necessary precaution since he hated waking him when he had to use the restroom in the middle of the night. But today, he just hooks their ankles together, tangles their legs, and tries to keep Prompto as close as he can.

He falls asleep to Prompto’s gentle snoring.

* * *

“We were supposed to get another cat.” Noctis isn’t pouting, not exactly. He just knows when he’s about to lose, and he’s a bit competitive. So it sounds like he’s pouting, but he isn’t.

It’d be hard to, watching Prompto laugh as the pit bull that had knocked him over licks eagerly at his face while Pryna and Umbra circle the scene, tails wagging lazily. He’s pushing the dog weakly, but Noctis knows he’s going to stay like that until the dog decides it’s done. Which seems like it’s going to be never.

Still, it’s nice to look at. Noctis almost wants to adopt the dog now, if she can make Prompto laugh like that everyday.

But they came to the shelter for a cat, and this is very much _not_ a cat.

“I know, I know,” Prompto finally says, breathless and around another laugh. The dog continues to lick at his face. “But Cupcake’s been in here for so long, Noct! And she gets along so well with the kids already.”

“Not the cat.” Noctis absentmindedly strokes the cat in question, who seems very disinterested in the goings-on below her, content to merely purr in Noct’s arms.

“The cat doesn’t get along with anyone but us,” Prompto says as he sits up, wiping at the spittle on his face. “And Cupcake wanted to make friends, at least. _Didn’t you, Cupcake?”_

Cupcake wags her stubby tail at Prompto’s baby-talk and Umbra and Pryna perk up at the sound as well. They’re really pushing their privileges as former volunteers, bringing their own pets to the shelter, but it’s always good to see that a new addition gets along with the rest of the family.

“I guess,” Noctis mumbles, but he’s honestly already sold on a third dog. “You cool to walk her by yourself?”

“Yep!” Prompto scratches at Cupcakes ears. “Pryna and Umbra practically walk themselves anyway, I can just hook them onto my belt and keep my hands free for _Miss Cupcake!”_

The dog perks up at the sound of her name and Prompto lets out an affectionate laugh and goes back to scratching.

“Well, you should try that out now,” Noctis says, because someone has to at least _pretend_ to be the realistic one between them. “I’m fine with the dog, but I just don’t want any surprises. I want to know now if you’ll need the extra help or whatever.”

“What?” Prompto laughs, raising an eyebrow. But he’s already hooking Umbra and Pryna’s leashes to his belt and they sit at his feet in anticipation. “You gonna take paternity leave or something? ‘Sorry, boss-dad, but I got a new kid that’s not potty trained, gonna need some time off until she doesn’t pull on a leash.’”

“I’m trying to be a _good father,”_ Noctis says, feigning offense. “Now, take _your children_ on a walk, and the cat and I will think about our new place in this family.”

“You got it,” Prompto laughs, hooking the last leash to Cupcake’s collar. Then he sniffs in mock offense as well. “Come on, kids. We are _clearly_ not wanted here.”

And with that, the four of them leave. It’s an awkward affair at first - too many wagging tails and Cupcake seems to want to play with Umbra and Pryna even though the two of them are set on walking now, oddly diligent things that they are - but Prompto makes it out the door without any complications.

Noctis waits until they turn the corner to make his way to the cat portion of the shelter, the place they were _supposed to go,_ but there’s not much he can do about it now. He thinks he’ll just play with the kittens, maybe let the cat bump noses with a few of the residents there for the sake of the cuteness alone.

He quickly realizes his mistake when he hears a plaintive meow and finds a small cat, probably a kitten still, staring at him with its single eye - the other seems to have been sewn shut, probably to cover an empty socket - and reaching through the bars.

The cat responds surprisingly quickly, wriggling out of Noct’s arms with a rumbling meow and setting down next to the kitten’s cage. They sniff at each other briefly, then the cat’s rubbing her head against the bars while the kitten does the same and then they’re both purring and _holy fuck_ that’s the cutest shit Noctis has ever seen, cuter than Prompto even.

As if sensing his traitorous thought, Prompto pokes his head into the room stuffing his leg into the rest of the crack in the door to prevent the dogs from coming in. Noctis can hear them sniffing curiously anyway.

“There ya are, babe,” he says with a smile. “Cupcake walks like a dream, so you can forget paternity leave. Talked to the girls out front and we’re just about to-”

“Prompto,” Noctis interrupts. The cats are still going at it, cute little shits. “I’m sorry but we’re going to have to get a cat, too.”

Prompto, of course, has no objections. But that doesn’t stop him from teasing Noct - who’s let the new kitten, Titan, take up residence in the front of his shirt - as they walk away from the animal shelter with three dogs and two cats.

It’s not until they’re in the car, Prompto sitting in the back to appease an overeager Cupcake, and Prompto says, “Can’t wait to take Christmas pics with all five of our beautiful children!” that Noctis remembers.

 _Shit,_ he was supposed to talk to Prompto about _actual_ kids.

But right now, Cupcake is whining in the back, and Titan and the cat are curled together in their carrier up front, and Noctis thinks he’ll do this in two weeks, when they’re settled.

He schedules it in his phone to be safe.

* * *

(BONUS)

 _“Dad,”_ a small voice hisses. Noctis can feel the bed shifting as a little body jumps onto Prompto’s side, shaking him just hard enough that Noctis can feel it, too. “It’s the baby, he’s getting hungry.”

Sure enough, in a few moments, Noctis can hear the sputtery, starting cries of a newly-hungry baby through the baby monitor on their bedside table.

“Reina,” Prompto murmurs, groggy. Noctis can feel him moving to sit up. “Did you stay up watching him again?”

“N-no,” their little girl says. It’s an obvious lie, Noctis can tell without even opening his eyes, and he’s preparing himself mentally for the call home from the school about Reina falling asleep in class again.

“It’s ok, I’m not mad, Reina,” Prompto’s tone is tinged with the kind of exhaustion particular to when he’s clearly reliving _something_ through one of Reina’s little quirks. “Why don’t you take a nap with your dad and let me handle your baby brother, huh? That sound good?”

Reina mutters a quiet affirmative and immediately Noctis feels a little body squirm up to his side as Prompto leaves the bed.

For their first few months with the kids, they’d tried to line up their sleep schedules with their new parental duties. Prompto, the more natural early riser, was on the early morning shift, and Noctis took care of the baby’s little emergencies in the middle of the night. Reina still wakes them according to that schedule - having picked up that Prompto and Noctis answered the baby’s cries at different times of the night fairly quickly, the observant, _sleepless_ little thing that she was - but after more than half a year, it’s hard not to be on alert at all times.

Kids had all sorts of needs, after all. And Noctis never wanted them to grow up feeling neglected.

So he rolls over in the bed to meet Reina half-way, flopping out an arm that she can rest on. She collapses on it easily, exhaustion seeming to finally catch up to her.

“Morning, kiddo,” he says. “Thanks for telling us about your brother.”

“Y-you’re welcome,” she murmurs and rolls over, probably to hide her face. She was still so shy about these things, it was honestly _very_ Prompto.

“Y’know, though,” he starts, gesturing with the arm that she’s lying on to the baby monitor. She’s facing his hand, so he knows she can see where he’s pointing when he continues, “that little box tells us when Roy needs something, too. You don’t have to.”

“I know, you told me,” she sounds embarrassed when she says it. “I just don’t like it when he cries.”

“We don’t like it either, Reina,” he explains as gently as he can. He remembers how anxious she’d been when they’d met her, jumpy and tuned to the non-stop sound of an unattended baby wailing in the background that they’d since learned was a pudgy little boy named Roy, her biological brother. It’s no wonder she feels like she’s personally responsible for him, when for a while she really _had_ been. “Your dad and I promised to take care of both of you, ok? You can trust us to take care of Roy, I promise you.”

“Ok,” she says meekly.

Noct knows she’s not telling the whole truth, knows they haven’t quite won her over yet, but they’re getting there.

“So you should _sleep,”_ he teases. “Then you could stay awake in class like all the kids your age.”

“Grandpa says _you_ used to sleep in school,” Reina murmurs. Well-behaved as she is, she’s unexpectedly rebellious when it comes to her habit of sleeping during kindergarten, and her memory is unfortunately _excellent_ . “Uncle Takka says you used to sleep in the _diner._ On the _tables.”_

Noctis tries not to sputter at the memory of Takka telling his _small child_ a few choice stories about his early twenties drunken shenanigans. He has an _image_ to maintain.

“Yeah, well, don’t believe _everything_ you hear from them. And _Prompto_ stayed awake during class, wouldn’t you rather be like him?”

“Yeah, I guess,” she says, but she sounds distinctly pleased with the idea.

Noctis is only a little upset that he’s not the favorite. Prompto had been the one to notice her first, after all, to help bring her out of her shell. They’d had similar upbringings, for better for worse, and she’d taken to him quickly.

Just as quickly as their _other_ daughter had taken to her. There’s a soft thud as Cupcake, the daughter in question, finally (belatedly) realizing her charge was missing from her bed, pushes the door open and waddles up to sniff at Reina’s hand. From where he is, Noctis can see that she’s wearing a frog hoodie today, one of many that Prompto had bought when Reina had still been afraid of Cupcake, and _kept_ buying even though Reina had since overcome that fear.

Umbra and Pryna rustle awake at the presence of their little sister and soon enough Noctis can hear the tell-tale meows of protest of the cat, who’s buried deep in their covers somewhere.

“Oh, you’re all up.” Prompto comes in shortly after, looking much more awake than he had sounded a few minutes ago. Roy is propped up on his shoulder, making unhappy little sounds. There’s a bottle shoved in the pocket of his sweatpants. “He doesn’t want to eat in there. I think he might be lonely.”

“A social eater,” Noctis comments. “I feel that.”

“Can I feed him?” Reina says, sitting up and already reaching for the baby.

“Sure,” Prompto agrees.

Noctis does him a solid and removes the bottle from his pocket before it can cause any incidents. Prompto lays down a blanket over their sheets and moves to set Roy on top of it to make it easier for Reina to pick him up, but as soon as the baby makes contact with the sheet, there’s a loud meow of protest.

“Oh my god,” Noctis laughs and watches as the wiggling lump advances towards the edge of the sheets. Titan pokes his head out, indignant. “Titan, you _idiot.”_

“He’s very dumb,” Reina agrees, pulling the blanket up to help Titan the rest of the way.

“Be nice to your brother,” Prompto scolds without any vitriol.

Reina’s fed Roy plenty of times, so Prompto trusts her enough to crawl over and sit next to Noctis once they’re all settled and Roy’s eating properly. Noctis wraps an arm around him as Prompto leans back heavily onto his shoulder.

“Wanna call her in sick?” he murmurs.

“Sounds like a plan,” Noctis says, kissing the side of Prompto’s temple before speaking loud enough that Reina can hear. “Hey Reina, feel like playing hooky?”

“What’s that?” she cocks her head.

Noctis grins, already rehearsing the excuse he's going to feed to Ignis. “A family tradition.”

* * *

“Dude,” Prompto laughs as Reina runs to get dressed for their impromptu visit to ‘Grandpa’s’ house, Cupcake following at her heels. Titan and Roy nap on, dead to the world. “Why is it that we never walk away from these things with just _one_ kid?”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> (1) regis was tryna figure out if noctis was as into the idea of getting kids as prompto since prompto is Obvious but noctis is less so. regis had a bet with clarus that yeah, noctis was that into it, and he won the bet, which is why he was that smug.  
> (2) gladio and ignis are an on again/off again couple in this universe that prompto and noctis are like ??? how did we figure our shit out before y'all lmao  
> (2a) (they figured it out and are on again but permanently)  
> (3) the kiddos are part of an extended universe where everyone has children inspired by cara's fankids
> 
> anyway, that's it!! as always leave me a comment or give me a [lil yell](http://brosura.tumblr.com/ask) on [tumblr](http://brosura.tumblr.com/).


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